86 THE HO BSE BOOK. 



new-born foal. The entrance of something into 

 the stomach is necessary to start the machinery 

 into motion. If this is not affected by the colos- 

 trum, there is nothing so good as castor oil and 

 the injection described. Never try to fill the 

 little foal up with copious douches of soapsuds 

 or even plain warm water. Only a very little 

 is needful. To discover if peristaltic action 

 as the wormlike motion of the intestines is 

 named is going on, hold the ear close to the 

 left flank of the foal. If all goes well the noise 

 heard there will indicate that the small intes- 

 tines are in working order, which is the first ob- 

 ject sought. The noise on the right side will 

 indicate what is doing in the larger intestines. 

 If the meconium is not passed in six hours after 

 the administration of the castor oil, the dose 

 should be repeated. 



Joint-ill, or omphalo phlebitis, as this disease 

 is called by the veterinarian, is something of 

 which every foal has to run the gauntlet. This 

 disease is not caused by a specific germ, but is 

 the result of mixed infection by filth germs. 

 Aerobic germs are those which flourish in light 

 and air ; anaerobic germs those which thrive in 

 damp places shut off from light and air. The 

 mixed infection which causes joint-ill contains 

 germs of both sorts. Stable litter is, outside of 

 the dirt of the street, the most fruitful of mi- 

 crobe life of all common substances. Great care 

 should therefore always be taken to have the 



